L’image Gallery: All Arts on Deck

In the Funk Zone, across from Validation Ale, a large warehouse has sat unoccupied for the past four years. What was once the Santa Barbara Winery is now a collection of cavernous, expansive halls checkered with white walls and exposed concrete. One might say it is the perfect setting for an art gallery; from December 14th to 15th, it’ll be just that. Get ready for the L’image Gallery pop-up, hosted by Kayla Bollag. 

L’image Gallery will host a wide amalgamation of Santa Barbara artists, showcasing painting, photography, sculpture, and videography. After 5:30 pm on the 14th, there will be ticketed live performances of music, a dance performance by Selah Dance Collective, an aerial and fire performance by ElectriCirque, and a fashion show by stylist Nina Q. 

Bollag is a visual artist, photographer, aerialist, contortionist and content creator who has been living in Santa Barbara for the past five years. “I’ve been painting my whole life and most recently writing poetry surrounding my paintings.” She currently crafts Nina Q’s social media content and maintains a travel YouTube channel, documenting her travels to destinations like the Maldives and India. 

While Bollag has always considered herself a creative, calling herself a “memory keeper,” the last few years have seen Bollag deepening her relationship with the Santa Barbara arts community, the puzzle pieces combining to create the L’image Gallery. It started at the beginning of the pandemic when Bollag sought ways to simultaneously exercise her body and build community.

Seventh Dimension pole and aerial studio piqued her interest. “I’d seen aerial stunts in The Greatest Showman but I didn’t know that was something I could do! It was back when we were all outside wearing masks and I just kept coming back. Photographers in the aerial and fire dancing community started reaching out to do photoshoots with me, and that pushed me to get into photography myself.”

As her interest in photography increased, Bollag began working with personal and commercial stylist Nina Q – who styled Bollag for her recent wedding – to create videography for her social media platforms. For L’image, Q is slated to host the final live event: a fashion show. It was at Q’s photo studio, The Story in the Funk Zone, that Bollag attended her first The One Oh One social event.

The One Oh One, a monthly networking event hosted by Heber Pelayo, aims to connect local photographers. “Heber provides spaces stocked with refreshments and food, all by himself, just to get the art community together. I was immediately impressed,” Bollag said admiringly. Here, Bollag met many photographers who will either showcase their work at L’image or photograph the event itself. 

The final puzzle piece to L’image’s conception was in late August of this year. After photographing the group gallery show hosted by double dutch at the SBCAW – which the Montecito Journal covered – Bollag was determined to find a way to showcase her own art. What started as a small, intimate project grew as word of Bollag’s efforts spread.

“I was originally only going to hang my own art and have friends over for a little party, but as I told people about it, they asked to join. Then I thought, wait: I know other artists—enough to fill an entire building—including musicians, my favorite dance company Selah Dance, and other live performers. It just grew.”

The empty warehouse on Yanonali called out to Bollag as a perfect spot to host the L’image Gallery, coined after her maiden name. After getting in touch with the building’s owner, who was more than happy to let her borrow the space, Bollag began her quest to clean up for visitors after the space’s four long, dormant years.

While most first-time gallerists may shiver in their boots, Bollag hasn’t broken a sweat. “I like hosting big parties and events, and I’m really into the festival scene,” she said confidently. Bollag has enlisted the help of Lane Bhutani Goedert, a friend with previous gallery running experience, to help better understand the bells and whistles of hosting a gallery event open to the public.

When I asked what Bollag’s goal is in hosting the L’image Gallery event, she said, “Especially during the holidays, everyone should be coming together. I want to give visibility to the artists and performance companies I’m hosting; maybe it will lead to artists collaborating together, or people becoming regulars at the dance and aerial studios.”

L’image Gallery will be open at 111 E Yanonali St., across from Validation Ale in the Funk Zone, Saturday December 14th and Sunday the 15th. On the 14th, the gallery will be free to the public from 12-5:30 pm with ticketed live events after 5:30 pm, running past 10 pm. On the 15th, the gallery will be free and open for walkthroughs from 12-5 pm. Some of the art pieces on display will be available for purchase. 

Tickets for the live events can be found in the Instagram bio of @limage_sb or by searching “L’image Gallery” on Eventbrite with your location set to Santa Barbara, CA.